


Demon Child King

by EclecticSorcerer



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Emperor Ling Yao, Gen, Greed (FMA) Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 05:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14805443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticSorcerer/pseuds/EclecticSorcerer
Summary: The Emperor of Xing has been in power for over a century and hasn't aged a day since his return from across the desert. He is surrounded by an air of mystery that has given way to many a speculation. Eternal life is a tricky thing after all.





	Demon Child King

**Author's Note:**

> based on this post: http://eclecticbutch.tumblr.com/post/174403638776/shelbycragg-likes-the-eternal-emperor-yao-has
> 
> (the source is deactivated/cant find the original on shelby craggs blog???? sorry but wanted to give credit where credit is due)

The eternal emperor Yao has the body of a child, the mark of a devil, and speaks aloud to himself in court.

He has been in power since the beginning of everyone’s memory, most say he should have died long ago. Had the legal records not confirmed his bloodline as the son of the last emperor, he would have been burned as a malevolent spirit. Or maybe it was his wise, if unconventional rule that kept him in power. Royal blood or no, living over a century without aging was not to be taken lightly.

No one knows how the emperor became this way. Legend has it that he didn’t always have that mark upon his hand. Stories say he ventured across the desert and found some unimaginable power and wrestled it under his control. Some say the power now controls him. The truth is nebulous at best, and only the emperor knows the real answer.

A lifetime ago, there were others who held the secret of eternal life: the emperor's most trusted advisors and friends, a few very special ambassadors. But they had passed long ago, and so the secret died with them. You could always tell when someone had been a secret holder, the news of their death would send the emperor into weeks of mourning. But soon the funerals stopped, and the emperor fell silent. He became sharper after that, still generous and kind, but perhaps his tone was a little more biting. A little more cold. Jaded, even.

However, if you pay attention, you may find some clues to the truth, even without the secret keepers. It is not always the same voice when the emperor speaks. The sound undoubtedly his own, but the tone changes. Rougher, more brash. He is bolder, if such a thing could be said about such a man who gained the power of immortality. There is a different look in his eyes. He is more mischievous. The changes are subtle, hard to catch. If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of unnaturally sharp teeth, just for a second.

He calls it ‘Greed’, a name learned only by those unfortunate enough to stage an assassination attempt. The descendants of jealous brothers, ready to kill their many times great uncle for power. They sneak in with their blades and their poison, only to be met with a horror unlike they’ve ever seen. A man of rock, with eyes like fire and teeth like a tiger. His nails tear through flesh as easily as paper. If someone is lucky enough to deal a fatal blow, they are soon to find that the emperor has more than one trick up his sleeve. It has become common, yet unspoken, knowledge that those who wish to kill the Yao bloodline never return home.

If you ask any of the people they’ll say the emperor celebrates life by day, and mourns its loss by night. He wields blades in his hands and holds the sun and moon within his heart. He is just, kind, and most of all dangerous.

The eternal emperor Yao has the body of a child, the mark of a devil, and speaks aloud to himself in court.

He dreads the day he will have to reveal why.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a Greed lives AU I guess?? I dunno. Might expand on it, do some reincarnation shit. Not sure how it would work, but it'd be ncie to see Ed again. A piece on the reveal of the homunculus a century or so after the Promised Day would be cool but I'm not ready to write a 20k or more fic on that, nor do I think I'm qualified. But maybe. Summer break is coming up and I'll have lots of time on my hands.


End file.
